


Greater than the Sum of Our Parts

by MadMegatax



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School, Dangan Ronpa: Another Episode
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 00:29:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15569763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadMegatax/pseuds/MadMegatax
Summary: Hajime Hinata returns to Towa City to fix some of the wrongs he inflicted upon the city. And even though he expects to learn nothing new, he wants to ask some questions of the former Ultimate Writing Prodigy/former Ultimate Murderous Fiend for personal reasons.And maybe he and his classmates can learn from Toko and Komaru: the two girls who managed to make their own future.





	Greater than the Sum of Our Parts

Monokumas lined the streets, each one equipped with razor sharp claws and jagged teeth. Their eyes illuminated the area with an eerie red glow, the flickering lights making shadows dance across the ground. The bears moved erratically, swiping at anything that moved and cutting through any obstacle in their path, even fellow Monokumas. A static laughter bounced against buildings long since abandoned, and any unfortunate soul who wandered into this dreadful scene would turn around and run far away if they valued their life.

However, for someone like Hajime Hinata, the Monokumas were just a small annoyance that blocked his path.

His red eye left a streak in the darkness as he dashed from bear to bear. With one precise jab to the stomach, he cut through the wires connected to the internal bomb before any Monokuma could process the damage. The Monokumas didn't even have time to move before Hajime reached the end of the street.

“How many of these things are there?” Hajime asked aloud as they toppled over, not even bothering to look at the wreckage. They posed no threat to him of course, but he had long since tired of the repetitive motions. Walk to a street, assess the area, destroy the bears, and then move on to the next.

_It's just like clearing out the entire area in a game, right? Sometimes you have to go down every path to find the way forward._

Hajime wasn't sure if he agreed with that, but it made him smile as he continued down the next street.

He cleared street after street in the same fashion, until at last he came across one street with all the Monokumas already destroyed. However, it was not his previous work, as they lacked the gaping holes in their guts. Instead, the Monokumas had all exploded, leaving scorch marks on the pavement. Some of the heads still remained, but they had been severed from their bodies. There were jagged edges where their heads had once connected to their bodies, and deep scratches marked their faces.

_Ah! It's the story path!_

He followed the carnage down the street, and then the next, and then the next. No Monokumas had been left standing, a remarkable feat considering how deadly they were. He noted the smoke still curling up from the broken hulls. He was close.

Suddenly, he heard a sharp clang of metal against metal followed by a shrill laugh. However, the laugh did not startle him. Hajime already understood what had happened to the destroyed Monokumas, although he didn't know the motive quite yet.

Interesting.

The next street over, Hajime finally found his target. Well, one of them, at least. Surrounded by Monokumas stood Toko Fukawa, spinning and lunging in a flurry of sparks. Of course, it wasn't Toko herself attacking the Monokumas. With disjointed limbs and scissors flying everywhere, it was her alternate personality Genocide Jack.

The former Ultimate Murderous Fiend slashed at the bears with a lopsided grin. However, her red eyes burned in pure fury as she used more force than necessary to tear through the Monokumas. She didn't even linger on the remains of one before she twirled around to destroy the next.

It was easy to see that she was upset. But why? What could drive someone like Genocide Jack to such an emotional state? The main suspect was of course Komaru Naegi, her friend and companion in Towa City, but he highly doubted that either personality of Toko’s would leave Komaru if that were the case.

However, before Hajime could theorize any further, there was a sharp glint of scissors just centimeters from his eye. Past the blade, he saw Genocide Jack’s red eyes narrowed and cautious. He didn't flinch though, as he knew this outcome was likely as soon as he happened upon the scene. What kind of serial killer wouldn’t notice a dangerous figure lurking in the shadows?

“Hello,” he smiled.

“What's a pretty boy like you doing all the way out here?” she sneered, never taking her eyes off of him for one second. “Don't you know about all the terrible and nasty things in this corner of the city?”

Of course he did. He was there when Towa City was brought to ruin, after all.

“I'm here to speak with you. And with Komaru Naegi as well, wherever she may be,” he said, getting straight to the point. Genocide Jack’s scissors flinched even closer to his eyes, to his dismay. “W-Watch it!”

“Who are you?”

“My name is Hajime Hinata.”

“Hmm… never heard of you!” That didn't surprise Hajime. Toko was the one more likely to recognize him. Genocide Jack continued, “Something tells me you're no ordinary hunk though. I bet you aren't even scared of my darling scissors.”

Well, she wasn't wrong.

_You're being mean! Tell her your mission!_

Well, before that…

“Um… are you feeling okay?” If it was anyone but Hajime, they wouldn't notice. However, even in this darkness, Hajime could see how her body trembled with every harsh breath she took and how her scissors trembled slightly in her grip. She had shadows under her eyes and her usually frazzled hair looked like it had deflated and was weighing her down.

Genocide Jack shifted uneasily on her feet. “You must be some kind of moron. Who asks their attacker if they're okay?”

“I’m not looking for a fight with you. I only want to talk.”

“Well, I want to cut your adorable mismatched eyes out of that pretty boy head of yours. And who's in the position to do what they want, hmm?”

Hajime sighed. The tediousness of this back and forth had long since worn out. A familiar boredom settled in his body, and he thought of fourteen different ways that he could disarm her right now, even with the scissor blades almost touching his eye.

_This isn't supposed to be a boss fight, I think. Maybe you didn't unlock the right dialogue choice yet?_

It was worth a shot. Might as well do what he came there to do. Hajime cleared his throat and said, “I hope you don't mind me asking, but how does your dissociative identity disorder work?”

“Wha-wha-wha-wha-whaaaaaat?” All the tension drained from Genocide Jack’s body and her mouth curled into a grin of pure amusement. “Have you been living under a rock? That tiny secret was broadcast across the world a year ago! Oooh, it’s been so long since nobody knew who I was!” She clasped her hands across her face, moving the scissor away from him, and he immediately relaxed. Even though there was no way she could actually harm him, he found it easier to breath now the chances of her attacking him had decreased dramatically.

“Er… actually, I know who you are. I just wanted to hear from you personally what it was like.”

“Hah! Only a few people dare to ask the serial killer what it's like. My wimpy other side usually fields most of those questions. Although…” Her eyes bore into his, and Hajime resisted the urge to flinch away. “Taking a better look at you now, methinks you want to ask her too! Get a better idea of the whole experience, hmm?”

Hajime blushed. “Well, it’s not quite the same, but I suppose you could put it like that.”

“Now I know why that red eye of yours threw me off! Gyahahahaha!” Her body swayed from how much she laughed, and Hajime wondered how someone so exhausted could still have so much energy. However, just like a switch, her disjointed grin snapped into a scowl. “But what's that got to do with Dekomaru?”

“I actually want to talk to her about the situation in Towa,” Hajime said.

“Hmmmmmmmmm.” She lolled her head back and forth as she considered him. Finally, she shrugged. “Sounds serious…ly boring! Gyahaha! Fine! I'll answer your questions. Guess I can’t resist a bold guy like you! But after that, you're on your own with whatever you want to bother Dekomaru about. Just know that if you want to hurt her… well, my scissors have been aching to scratch up such a cute face.” Her eyes darkened with the threat as she twirled her scissors on her finger.

Hajime nodded, “Thanks, and I promise you it's only to talk.”

“Good! Oh, it’s so fun ordering pretty boys around! Not as fun as slicing them up, though!” Genocide Jack giggled. “But to get back to your question, how does my split personality work? Hmm… to start off, Miss Morose and I don't share memories! Not that I care to know whatever dumb things she thinks about.”

“I know that,” Hajime said. “That's how you were able to tell everyone what was going on in the world during the final trial of the Killing School Life.” And why Genocide Jack didn't recognize the name Hajime Hinata, while Toko had likely been briefed by her friends on the matter.

“Ooh, you did your homework! But what would you even want to know then?”

“Well… how do you feel about it all?” It was a vague question, but a good place to start at as any.

Genocide tapped her scissors against her head. “Well are you ever in the middle of some nice BL manga and you're getting to the really good bit? Like one guy is down on the ground with tears gushing down his face and the other guy is about to make the magic happen? But then just as you turn the page, you sneeze and the volume is gone! And you're standing in middle of a road but who cares! That was the really good part! Before Master made me a better woman, I would have gone after the first guy that I could share that passion with. But now I'm exclusive!”

“...Right.” Hajime had gotten more insight to her killing mindset than he wanted, so instead he focused on one particular thing that she said. “So your consciousness cuts off abruptly then?”

“Yup! That's when my boring half goes around spreading her misery! I don't really care about what she does, just so long as I get to have fun too! Although recently we came to an agreement of sorts. She zaps herself, and out I come with my lovely scissors!”

“It's distinct for you then,” Hajime said, although it was more for himself than for her. He had already known most of what she said about her experience, and what he didn't know he had surmised. But even if this information didn’t contain anything new, there was something oddly comforting about getting a different perspective.

“Yup! Well, it's been fun, but my scissors are itching for something to tear into! See ya!” Genocide Jack seemed to tilt forward as she turned away, to Hajime’s concern.

“Hold on! You still look exhausted. And you don't need to destroy Monokumas like this anymore!”

Genocide Jack laughed, but it was a bitter sound that hung heavy in the air. “Have to? I only do things that I _want_ to do, Mr. High and Mighty. And I want to tear those bears apart until not a scrap of them remains on this Earth! So, stay out of my way unless you want to join the bears in the scrap pile.”

It was unusual to see the normally confident and enthusiastic serial killer obviously upset like this. What could drive her to such a state? It could be interesting to watch and further analyze her self-destructive mood.

_Hmm… you shouldn't leave her like this. She’s distressed and needs some rest._

Hajime’s concern won out over his curiosity and he said, “Why don't you come with me to see Komaru? She's probably worried about you.”

“Augh! Pushy pushy pushy! Maybe I don't want to see her, huh?” However, her dejected tone and the way she slouched over indicated that this thought already weighed heavily on her mind. “I'm not in the best mood, you know.”

Though she couldn't see his face, he smiled fondly at the serial killer for the first time that night. “I'm sure your friend will want to listen to what's bothering you and help you out.”

“I don't even know what's bothering me!” Genocide Jack grumbled. “All I know is that when I came to this time, I was covered in snot and tears and my heart hurt like hell. And these Monokumas seemed like a good target for these icky feelings, so I've been going crazy on them for most of the night. She must have sneezed, since the taser definitely doesn't last this long.”

Hajime glanced at the sky. Though it was still red in this city, it was notably brighter than it was an hour ago. “It's definitely morning by now.”

“Whatever! I'll keep at it until this annoying feeling goes away. Augh, usually the bad feelings stick to Miss Gloomy. Why did they get passed to me this time?”

Hajime didn't know any more than Genocide Jack about the situation, but he wanted to help her figure it out. Besides, he was curious about it as well. He said, “I think even if you don’t understand your current feelings, Komaru would still want to help. Let's go find her together.”

Genocide Jack stood still for a moment, and then sighed and turned around. Resignation hung heavy on her face, and she pointed her scissors behind Hajime. “We should go in that direction. Knowing Dekomaru, she's probably out fighting Monokumas somewhere, so I might as well go save her.”

“Do you think she's out fighting Monokumas while looking for you?” Hajime asked. Her silence was the only answer he needed, so he hid another smile and followed after Genocide Jack as she took a step forward.

They walked down streets of destroyed Monokumas in silence. Hajime did not have much else to say to Genocide Jack, but her silence was unusual, based on what he had observed during the killing game and the incident here in Towa City. Genocide Jack had no idea how to process her feelings, since they seemed to originate from Toko. To have an emotional response but not understand the reason behind it… well, he had experienced something like that before. He first thought what he and Toko Fukawa went through weren't that similar, but…

He reached a hand into his pocket, and rubbed his finger against the worn down edge of the hair clip buried deep within.

“Dekomaru!” Genocide Jack’s voice cut through his thoughts as she dashed around a corner, and Hajime scowled at himself for getting distracted. Now that he was focused, he easily heard the sounds of fighting, with repeated shouts of “Break!” standing out above the rest. He ran to catch up with Genocide Jack, but as he ran around the corner he stopped in his tracks.

Komaru Naegi stood in a middle of a circle of destroyed Monokumas, her megaphone held firmly in her hands. Though she was panting heavily, she only had minimal scuffs on her clothes and she looked no worse for wear. Between her and Genocide Jack, he wondered why he bothered with destroying any Monokumas at all.

_What kind of game doesn't let you fight the enemies?_

Well, this had never been his game. It had been theirs.

Genocide Jack stood off to the side, twirling her scissors absent-mindedly. Her pride for Komaru shone through clearly on her face, but her repeated glances to the alleyway nearby showed how much she considered leaving. However, before she got the chance to make a move, Komaru turned to her. Anger, relief, and concern all bundled into one ordinary high school girl.

Genocide Jack gulped.

“Toki! Why did you run away?” Komaru asked.

“I dunno! I'm not the one you should be asking here!”

“But it's been hours! You didn't come back to the apartment like you usually do!”

“Well, Hajimato over here found me, so I was preoccupied.”

…Was Hajimato supposed to be him? Still, he didn’t want to be dragged into their fight. “Hey, that was fifteen minutes ago, and you said you were out all night.”

“...Please don't lie to me, Toki. Are you upset?” Komaru refused to look away from Genocide Jack, despite the obvious tears forming in the corners of her eyes. “It's okay to feel sad, you know.”

Genocide Jack laughed, but she wasn't amused at all. “Really? Because it sucks! I feel miserable and I don't know why!”

“...Oh, Toki. It's okay.” Komaru reached a hand out towards her. “I know why you're sad.”

Genocide Jack’s hand flinched towards Komaru, but she restrained herself. “Get to the point, Dekomaru.”

Komaru took a deep breath to steel herself. “Byakuya called last evening and told us Kyoko died during the Future Foundation’s killing game. You ran off, and I couldn't catch up. I've been trying to find you all night.”

Ah. Several puzzle pieces clicked into place, and Hajime was almost disappointed as he realized that the girls’ current emotional ordeal was the result of one huge misunderstanding. But then again… he remembered the pain of losing his friends during the killing game he was in. He remembered the pain of watching someone very dear to him die in front of him.

He couldn't look down on them for their grief, even if it was misplaced.

Genocide Jack’s grip on her scissors tightened as anguish flashed across her face. However she quickly masked her emotions and said with a false bravado, “That detective? Impossible. She’s like a gross cockroach I can't squish.”

“Actually…” Hajime began to say but he was quickly interrupted by an impassioned Komaru.

“You weren't here when we heard Monaca say that someone from your class would die, but she was talking about Kyoko. That's why you were so upset back then... and that's why you're so upset right now.”

Genocide Jack’s eyes darted everywhere, but they could not focus on Komaru. “But… that's not right… how come I've never been like this when my other classmates died, huh?! I know Miss Weakling got all teary eyed about that! I don't have those wimpy feelings!”

“Really? But I thought you both shared feelings,” Komaru said. “You don't have to act like it all didn't affect you.”

“I'm the former Ultimate Murderous Fiend! There's no way something like that could affect me! Not that detective, and not my other dead friends!” She slapped her hand over her mouth when she realized what she said.

“I think you need to know…” Hajime tried again, but was once more cut off.

“See? You thought of them as your friends!” Still holding out her hand, Komaru moved closer and closer to Genocide Jack until she could grasp onto her hands tightly. Komaru pulled them to her chest and smiled. “I know that right now, the both of you are upset, and that's okay. But you don't have to be sad all by yourself. You can depend on me, and tell me when you're hurting. Isn't that what we said we would do as friends?”.

Genocide Jack stared at their hands in complete shock, and Komaru only tightened her grip. Finally, she said weakly, “I've never been one to cry or anything… but dammit, it's just not fair! We survived that dumb school, we're all supposed to live!” Tears gathered at the corners of Genocide Jack’s eyes. It was the probably the closest she had ever gotten to crying out of sadness.

“I know.” Komaru moved in to hug Genocide Jack, and kept her grip tight as Genocide Jack sniffled.

Hajime sighed and gave up on interrupting. Besides, though he wasn't involved in this touching scene, he found it interesting all the same. The two girls were so different, but even in the face of great pain they relied on each other and came out all the stronger for it. Thinking back to their original journey here in Towa City, they managed to accomplish something that even he struggled with, the magnitude of which they weren't even aware of. Perhaps…

Hajime was shaken out of his reverie when the two finally parted. Both of them looked worn out and a heavy sadness still lingered in their eyes, but they had a tired smile on their faces all the same. Maybe this was finally his chance?

He coughed loudly, getting their attention. Komaru blinked several times as if to reorient herself, while Genocide Jack scowled. “Are you trying to get into the action or something?”

“No!” Hajime shouted, louder than probably necessary. “I have some important information, though.”

“Well Mister,” Komaru said, addressing Hajime for the first time. Hajime grimaced. Since when was he a _Mister_ …? “We recently found out someone we cared about died, so I'm not sure how helpful we’ll be.”

“Actually, that's what I need to tell you. Your friend Kyoko Kirigiri is alive.”

“WHAT?!” they shrieked.

Caught off guard, Genocide Jack sneezed.

 

* * *

 

“Y-Yes,” Mikan Tsumiki stammered. “I saved her after she survived thanks to this medicine.” She held up a bottle, but seemed to wilt under the intense stares of Komaru and Toko. “I-I’m sorry!”

“Did you put something in the medicine? A poison that kicks in two days later?” Toko’s scowl turned into something more perverted. “Or maybe something that gets her all hot and bothered?”

“Toki! Stop that!” Komaru scolded.

Hajime sighed and looked at the rest of his classmates, who watched on from the other side of the boat, an odd mixture of curiosity and wariness present on their faces. They certainly hadn't expected him to bring back any guests after all, especially considering their status as fugitives. Any suspicion was logical and even warranted.

Why couldn't things ever be simple?

Then again, something as miraculous as a friend's survival hadn't factored into his plans at all.

Leaving the two to their interrogation of Mikan, Hajime walked over to the others, knowing that his exasperation was clear on his face. “Look guys, you don't have to worry so much about this. Makoto Naegi would have told them about us anyway.”

“It's not that…” Akane said, flat out baffled. “It's just… I don't get it at all.”

Hajime asked patiently, “What don't you get?”

Kazuichi tilted his head to the side and squinted his eyes. “Maybe it makes sense if you look at her from a different angle?”

“‘Her’?” Hajime followed his gaze to Toko and Komaru. Toko stared at the ground with a silent scowl, while Komaru enthusiastically yanked Mikan’s hand up and down as a show of gratitude. It made Mikan wail pathetically, so Toko separated the two before extending her own hand out to Mikan in begrudging gratitude. Mikan’s eyes welled up at the gesture, and she gratefully grabbed onto Toko's hand. “Believe me, Toko is Genocide Jack.”

“No, not her… although I really want to talk to her about that.” Sonia’s eyes sparkled at the idea. “But rather… it is her friend. I simply do not understand.”

“Wait, you’re talking about Komaru? What do you mean?” Hajime asked.

Fuyuhiko turned to Hajime and scowled, his one good eye narrowed. “How the fuck was _this_ kid supposed to be the second coming of Junko Enoshima?!”

Several things snapped into place in Hajime’s mind, and he immediately glared at Nagito, who was standing out of everyone's way. “What did you tell them?”

Nagito had a placating smile on his face. “My apologies. I only gave them a brief summary of the events in Towa City, and how Komaru Naegi almost became the second coming of Junko. After all, not everyone here was aware of the events.” He stared right at Hajime with a knowing look.

Hajime groaned. It wasn't that he hadn't thought of Nagito spooking everyone out as a possibility, but it was one he had little patience to deal with at the moment. “I can explain the full story later, but she is definitely not affiliated with Junko or her ideals. For now, if you don't feel comfortable about her being here I won't let her come any closer than where she already is. Although...” he took a closer look at everyone's faces, and how each expression contained some… shame? It was particularly noticeable on the four survivors of their killing game: Sonia, Kazuichi, Akane, and Fuyuhiko. It took him a moment to connect this with their concern over Komaru, but he quickly realized what they were thinking. “Ah, I see.”

Nagito smiled. “You've surely noticed Hajime. Everyone here is ashamed of how we let Junko control us so easily when an ordinary girl like Komaru was able to win against her.”

“Yes,” Sonia agreed, her eyes downcast. “And for those of us who interacted with Junko during that final trial, we experienced her manipulation personally, even without the brainwashing. For Komaru to survive that…” She trailed off.

“That girl…” Hajime turned his attention to the newest addition to their group. Ryota Mitarai scowled at Komaru, shadows still hanging heavy under his eyes, desperately seeking something to help him understand. “How could she beat her?”

“When all of you couldn't?” Hajime said, eying Ryota speculatively. “Everyone here certainly gave into Junko. I'm no exception. And our victory against her was a miracle. One that we made, but a miracle nonetheless.”

“Then how?” Ryota cried, loud enough to get the attention of Komaru, Toko, and Mikan. “How could she win against her?!”

Hajime spoke clearly, knowing that his words would be important to everyone listening. “Komaru Naegi gave in as well, much like you. However, unlike you, when she was at the very brink of despair, she had someone to bring her back. Toko surpassing expectations was an outcome both Junko and I predicted as a possibility, but it was still unexpected. And something like that… it wouldn’t have happened with either of them by themselves.” He smiled softly at a stunned Ryota. “Remember, you're no longer alone. None of us are. We all have each other. And we'll work together to make our future, the one that we want to build.”

_That's right everyone. This isn't a game after all! We're all going to make our future together!_

Everyone nodded at each other and smiled as they took Hajime’s words to heart, and Ryota looked away ashamed. “You're right. I've been so alone for such a long time that it's hard to remember that I have that now.” He then bowed towards Komaru and Toko, who remained where they were. “Sorry for doubting you both.”

“Hey,” Toko grumbled. “Don't drag us into your class's squabbles.”

“No, it's okay,” Komaru said. “I don't know everything that happened with you, but you remind me of how I was when everything seemed hopeless.”

“What a moving statement from the former protagonist,” Nagito praised. He took a step towards the two girls, but Hajime blocked his path with a grimace. Probably better to keep their interactions to a minimum.

“Komaru, Toko,” Hajime said. “Are you satisfied now that you talked to Mikan?”

“Yes!” Komaru smiled. “Thank you so much, Mikan. To all of you, actually, for helping out my brother and his friends! Right, Toki?”

“...Right.” Toko had a genuine smile on her face, and it made her seem like an entirely different person. “I was a mess when I thought another of my friends had died, but now I feel at ease. More than ever before, actually.” She looked away warily. “It's kinda weird.”

“Oh Toki!” Komaru pulled Toko in for a hug, while Toko squawked in protest. Hajime had a good idea of what made her feel that way, and from the looks of it Komaru did as well, but they said nothing beyond that. Then she turned back to Hajime. “Apparently, you wanted something else…?”

“Well, my friends and I should leave soon, but before that…” Hajime held out his hand towards Komaru. “I want to fix that controller you have on you.”

Their reaction was immediate. Komaru shifted back, one hand moving to protect the pouch on her waist while the other unhooked her megaphone from her belt. Toko's hand twitched towards the slit in her skirt, where her taser was hidden.

“What do you want with that?” Toko said, her voice back to being defensive and on edge.

“I am partly responsible for the mayhem caused in Towa City, and I want to fix what I can. There's still thousands of children trapped in the Monokuma helmets, right? I can program that device so it releases the helmets instead. And that will also release you from your hostage situation.”

“So you were involved as well?” Nagito said, but the smugness in his tone hinted that he had some idea of Hajime's reason for coming to Towa City all along. Hajime chose to ignore him for the moment.

“I know it's hard to trust me, but believe me when I say I want to help.”

Toko scowled, but before she said anything, Komaru placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. “Toki, I believe him,” she said softly.

“W-What?” Toko stammered incredulously. “But he just admitted to playing a part in this whole mess! And that awful Servant is his friend! Even if they did help everyone back at the Future Foundation, after manipulating us like that there's no way we should trust them!”

Ah, so they _were_ bothered by Nagito, but were just trying to ignore him. Hajime saw Nagito try to move again out the corner of his eye, but his classmates glared at him, and Nagito gave up, mumbling something about being the attention of so many hopeful eyes.

“I know… but like you said, Hajime saved Makoto. Twice, even! And if Makoto can trust him, then we can too. Right?” Komaru already started opening her bag, despite Toko's protests.

“Didn't you say you would start thinking for yourself?” Toko said, face flushing in anger.

“Well… I'm making this decision for myself, too.” Komaru pulled out the red controller, the one that nearly drove her to despair, and placed it in Toko's hands. “After all, he brought you back to me.”

Toko stammered and nearly fumbled with the device, but luckily kept a firm grip on it. She looked frantically between the device and Komaru’s encouraging smile before groaning. “You and your brother are too naive. But… maybe that's why you both were able to save me.” With a sigh, she walked over to Hajime and shoved it into his hands. “If you do anything bad, then you won't live long enough to regret it,” she warned with an intense glare.

“I understand, Toko,” Hajime said. He understood the true weight to that threat; after all, Toko would be risking her arrangement with Byakuya if she followed through on her words. He turned the controller over. “Thank you both for trusting me. Now Kazuichi, do you have a screwdriver?”

“Of course! Who do you think I am?” Kazuichi grinned as he handed his personal toolkit to Hajime. “You could probably use this entire set, actually.”

Hajime grinned at his friend, and then he got to work.

He had known how to dismantle the controller since he first viewed it back when he wasn't Hajime Hinata, but Izuru Kamukura. Back then, however, he had no interest in interfering one way or another. He wanted to see if Towa City would provide something interesting, and so he released the despair of Junko Enoshima into the city. He played a part in the deaths of so many people because of his own curiosity about the battle of hope versus despair, and though he could not take back what he did, he could still work hard to help those still in need.

After several minutes of quickly switching wires with near impossible precision, he snapped the case back together and smiled. “There. Now when the red button is pressed, the helmets will deactivate.”

“How cliched…” Toko muttered as she stared at the device in apprehension. “Is there any way to test it before risking those kids’ lives?”

“Hmm… I suppose I could construct a replica helmet that listened to the signal using a different frequency, but even then that could introduce too many unknown variables and would make such a test ineffective,” Hajime mused.

“Remember Toko, we said we would trust him.” Komaru took the controller back from Hajime, and stared at it. It shook in her hands. “And if anything goes wrong, I'll take full responsibility.” She moved her thumb to the red button and let it rest there.

“Augh! Don't you know by now that I'll always stand by you?” Toko snarled. She grabbed onto the controller as well and moved her thumb to the button so that it barely brushed against Komaru’s. “Whatever happens, we do it together.”

“...Right!” Komaru smiled brightly at her friend. “Let's press the button together! I’ll countdown to one. Three…”

“Two…” Toko gulped, but her hand did not waver.

“One…” Komaru said, and she and Toko turned to each other and grinned.

“Hope lives on!” they exclaimed, and slammed their thumbs down on the button.

A low click echoed across the docks, and there was a heavy silence as everyone looked at a group of Monokuma Kids on the crates nearby. They had stopped playing, and everything was still for a moment. Then, with a creek of rusted metal, the helmets split right down the middle, and the black and white pieces fell to the ground in a burst of air that obscured the children. When it cleared, pale heads looked towards the sky.

The Monokuma Kids were free.

“I can't believe it…” Komaru whispered as tears flowed freely down her face. “They're all okay…”

“They’re alive, but I don't know if I'd say they're _okay_ ,” Toko said, looking at the scene with worried eyes. “They've all undergone a lot of traumatic experiences. Not to mention, their parents…”

“We can't change what happened, but we can work to make it better,” Komaru said. Past her tears, her eyes gleamed with hope.

The words resonated with Hajime, as he watched the scene unfolding in front of him with a smile. Despite predicting this outcome, despite being the cause of it all, despite all the tragedy and heartbreak, he felt happy. Looking at his classmates, he saw the same joy and determination. Even Ryota held his head high and looked at the children with an unwavering resolution.

They were all prepared to create their own future. A future for themselves, for the children of the world, and for anyone that may feel a seemingly endless despair.

_Hey hey, wasn't there some post game material?_

Oh yeah. Now that he accomplished his major goal, all that he had left to do was talk to Toko. She was still staring at the children, so he gave her a light tap on her shoulder. She shrieked and jumped away from the touch, then scowled at Hajime.

“W-What do you want?” she grumbled.

“Well, I have a personal question actually,” Hajime said. “It's about your dissociative identity disorder.”

Toko’s first response was to scowl, but as she looked at Hajime it softened into something more contemplative. ”Wouldn't you know about all that already from watching my class’s killing game? Not to mention your apparent involvement in Towa City. And with all that Ultimate talent you have, you probably know more about the disorder than I do.”

Her wary confusion was similar to Genocide Jack’s, but at least she wasn't waving a pair of scissors in his face. “I wanted to hear your perspective, that's all. I already asked Genocide Jack about it.”

“Her?!” Toko exclaimed, eyes widening in shock. “Wow, you really are serious about it.” She glanced at Komaru, who had started trying to get the children's attention by leaning on the boat railing and shouting at them, to no avail. “...Fine. You helped us out, so one question wouldn't hurt. But just one! And it better not be an insulting question!”

“Thanks,” Hajime smiled, trying to put her at ease. She was much more closed off than her alternate personality so he didn't want to scare her off. “I was wondering, what do you think of Genocide Jack?”

“...Wait, that’s it? I hate her, of course!” Toko spat, not holding back her words. “She did so many awful things and ruined my life so many times.” Her tone was flat though, and Hajime knew she wasn't being entirely truthful.

“Huh, I was under the impression that you had started to get along recently…”

Her eyes narrowed, but she almost squeaked as she quickly said, “No, of course not! We've just come to... an agreement of sorts! And she hasn't killed anyone since I made that arrangement with Master.”

“So you're fine with things as they are now?”

“No! She's awful!” Toko argued more for her sake than for Hajime’s.

“But Toki…” Both of them turned to Komaru. She had turned her attention to their conversation at some point, and she had a kind smile on her face. “I think you both truly understand and trust each other now.”

“N-No!” Toko shrunk away from Hajime and Komaru both, and couldn't look either of them in the eye. “You always say such naive things!”

Komaru wasn't put off by Toko's harsh words though. “But when Monaca flew off to space, you zapped yourself without a second thought! You knew that Genocide Jack would want to do the exact same thing as you! You trusted her!”

Toko winced, and Hajime raised an eyebrow at what Komaru said. Monaca flying off to space was metaphorical… right?

Komaru continued, “And you did the same thing last night when we thought Kyoko was dead! You sneezed and let Genocide Jack take over! If you didn't trust her, would you have done all that?”

“Ugh, fine!” Toko said. “I wouldn't say I fully understand her, but I trust her to not go off murdering anymore. That’s more than I ever thought I would feel about her. And, well, besides…” She smiled at Komaru. “We have someone we both want to protect.”

“Aww… Toki!” Komaru threw her arms around Toko and squeezed her tightly. “I'm so happy to hear you say that! Both of you mean so much to me!”

Toko froze, but slowly returned the hug with a blush on her face. “Thanks, Komaru.”

Hajime smiled at them, and felt a strange sense of calm sink into his bones. Both Toko and Genocide Jack had grown more accepting of their other personality, but they still existed together, distinct from one another. Toko was still Toko, and Genocide Jack was still Genocide Jack. And him…

He was Hajime Hinata _and_ Izuru Kamukura.

Talking to them both had solidified that fact in his mind. He smiled with a renewed sense of purpose.

“Thank you for talking to me about this, Toko,” he said.

Toko broke away from Komaru and narrowed her eyes at Hajime. “So that's it? Really?”

“Yeah. You really helped me with what you said.”

Toko glanced at Komaru, who was grinning at her proudly, before looking away from both of them to blush profusely. “Well, you helped us out, so we’re even now. Don't think of trying to take advantage of us with any other favors!”

“Of course not.” Hajime looked at his classmates, and noticed that Nagito had managed to pull Sonia off to the side. She had an excited twinkle in her eyes, and Hajime knew that meant trouble. “Uh, you might want to leave soon. One of my friends seems to be preparing some sort of ambush.”

Toko and Komaru followed his gazed and grimaced simultaneously. Komaru said, “Yeah, I don't want to hear more of his ramblings about me being a protagonist or whatever… Although the other one seems more interested in you, Toki.”

“Huh?!”

However, Hajime paid Toko's panic no mind. Instead, he glanced at Komaru with furrowed eyebrows. What she said… it reminded him of something else.

Toko noticed his distracted look at her friend and glared at him. “What?”

"...Come on, I'll walk you down to the docks.” Hajime walked towards the boarding ramp off the ship, and there was a slight pause before they rushed after him. He paid them no attention, too lost in his own thoughts.

He hadn't even thought about telling them the whole truth behind the Towa incident, and yet the idea couldn't leave his mind now.  But was it something they should even know?

The two girls were quiet behind him as they walked off the ship and onto the docks. As he turned to say goodbye, he saw their confused faces and sighed. After all this, it wouldn't be fair to leave them in the dark.

“You know, you never asked what my role was in Towa,” he smiled wryly.

Komaru gasped. “Oh, you're right!”

Toko scoffed. “You were probably just working with that Servant behind the scenes.”

“No, for the most part I watched without interfering. But isn't there something that happened that you didn't understand at all?”

“Nothing made sense in this city back then…” Toko muttered.

However, Komaru remained silent, and a brief hurt flashed in her eyes. “Actually, there was one thing. After we defeated the Big Bang Monokuma, something shot out of it. I think it was… Shirokuma.”

“So? It just means that it was evil all along. End of story.” Toko couldn't keep her frustration out of her voice, though.

“Well…” Hajime said, “to start off, Shirokuma’s presence was my doing.”

“Huh?!” Komaru shrieked.

Toko stumbled back in shock. “How many plot twists can you even be responsible for?!”

“A lot, unfortunately.” Hajime clenched his fists. “Back then, I introduced an AI into two ordinary Monokumas. One became Shirokuma, and the other was Kurokuma.”

“Yeah, I remember that unpleasant bear,” Toko scowled. “So they were both one and the same, huh?”

Komaru said nothing, though it was obvious she was hurt at how someone she trusted had manipulated her. “Shirokuma…”

Hajime continued, “After that event, I took the recombined AI with me to Jabberwock Island, and I was responsible for the events there as well. However, in that simulation I learned… well, some important things, and my friends and I were able to overcome her AI.”

“...' _Her_ '?” Toko's eyes grew wide. “You mean…”

“You two succeeded not just against Junko’s ideals, but Junko herself.”

“N-N-No way…” Toko shook where she stood. Komaru reached out to steady her, though her own face had gone very pale.

“It was her all along?” Komaru whispered. “That can't be… Makoto was the one who defeated her originally, and you stopped that AI version. We didn't do that at all.”

“You did. If you gave in back then, you would have become the second coming of Junko Enoshima. That was the optimal outcome for her, and her actions as Shirokuma and Kurokuma were meant to lead you to that role. But you and Toko both overcame that plan and created your own outcome outside of the choices you were provided. Neither of you could have done that on your own, but to win against the Ultimate Despair together… To create a seemingly impossible ending together for the future that you both want…” Hajime smiled warmly. “Something like that could be called the _Ultimate Friendship_ , wouldn't you agree?”

Both Komaru and Toko stammered, at a complete loss of words.

“Keep on making memories together, and don't lose sight of what's important. I don't know when we'll meet again, but I'm glad I was able to talk to the both of you.” With that, Hajime walked back up the ramp, leaving Komaru and Toko standing on the dock.

Maybe he was a bit heavy handed with his words, but he still believed every single bit of it. For two flawed people to come together and create something greater than either of them alone was surely a talent worth recognizing. He wondered if part of where Hope's Peak Academy had failed was believing that only individual people had talent, rather than recognizing the potential of bonds between people. After all, as Izuru Kamukura he could not achieve what Komaru and Toko had, even with all his talents and crafted perfection.

As he reached the deck of the boat, he saw all of his friends smiling at him, and he couldn't help but smile back. By working together and accepting each other, they all could create something greater than the sins of their past.

And that was the future he wanted to believe in.

”Isn't that right, Chiaki?” he asked aloud.

There was no response, but he could feel a warmth, and that alone was enough.

**Author's Note:**

> This is something I wrote a couple of months after the Danganronpa 3 anime ended, mostly to satisfy my own curiosity. There are some important details left hanging from Ultra Despair Girls that never got addressed, but I figure Hajime would pretty much fix things up. I've also thought a lot about the contrast between Hajime Hinata/Izuru Kamukura and Toko Fukawa/Genoicide Jack, so I hope that came across okay.
> 
> And some of this fic might be cheesy, but I have a lot of feelings about Toko and Komaru's relationship. Whether you view it as platonic or romantic (though in this fic it probably comes across as more platonic), they have the best developed relationship in the Danganronpa series in my opinion.
> 
> As for Chiaki's role in this story... I'll leave that up to you to interpret.
> 
> Anyway, I'm only getting around to posting it now because I'm starting to write other Danganronpa stuff again, so I wanted to post something I've actually finished haha.


End file.
